St. Cloud vet gets Purple Heart 70 years after being shot down over Germany

Associated Press

January 14, 2013 - 11:29 AM

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - A World War II gunner who survived when his B-17 bomber was shot down over Germany in 1943 has been officially awarded a Purple Heart medal in St. Cloud.

Ninety-two-year-old Lawrence Huschle was held as a prisoner of war for nearly two years after the plane crash. Initially, the government couldn't verify that Huschle's plane was shot down or that he was treated for injuries suffered in battle.

Huschle's brother, Ray, began working to make the verification 20 years ago. The St. Cloud Times ( http://on.sctimes.com/X8jY70) says that when Ray died, Huschle's grandson, Troy Huschle, stepped in and with testimony from another survivor of the 1943 crash successfully filed paperwork for the award.

About 200 soldiers joined Huschle's family and friends for the award ceremony Sunday at the armory.